Urdhva Dhanurasana

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Technique

1. Lie down on your back, inhale and bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor with the heels as close to the buttocks as possible.
2. Lifts your arms up, and bend your elbows so that the hands come to the floor either side of the head, fingers facing towards the shoulders.
3. Exhale completely,
4. Inhale, press the balls of your feet into the floor, and lift the buttocks off the floor. Push the ground with your hands and lift so that the crown your head comes to the ground between them
5. Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel.
6. Take a deep breath.
7. Inhale and straighten the arms, squeeze th buttocks and push the hips towards the ceiling. Work on straightening the legs.
8. Take 5 deep breaths
9. Exhale, bend your arms and slowly loser yourself down.
10. Repeat the posture
11. To finish you should counteract the backwards bend with a forward bend like Pachimottanasana (Intense west stretch).

Effects

• Stretches the chest and lungs
• Strengthens the arms and wrists, legs, buttocks, lungs, and spine
• Stimulates the thyroid and pituitary glands, helping to regulate hormones and metabolism.
• Energises a fatigued body/mind
• Good for respiratory problems such as asthma
• Reduces back pain
• Can increase fertility,
• Improve bone strength to help prevent osteoporosis

External Links

• Urdhva Dhanurasana on yogajournal.com
• Urdhva Dhanurasana on santosha.com